A hint of provocation flashed across Su Zimo's face. She had come prepared today, knowing that if the Empress made a move against her, she would retaliate mercilessly.
As the three siblings were talking, they saw a eunuch approaching them.
"Master of Mingyue Manor, Princess Yaoxi requests your presence!"
Upon hearing this, Su Zimo felt a slight confusion. She thought it would be the Empress, but she didn't expect it to be Princess Yaoxi. It seemed that Princess Yaoxi was quite fast to find out about her arrival in the palace. Since there was still some time before the Qingshi Dynasty, she might as well accompany her and have some fun.
After a long silence without a response from Su Zimo, the eunuch who delivered the message couldn't help but look up at her.
To his surprise, Su Zimo was also looking at him. Her beautiful and sharp eyes made him freeze for a moment. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet Su Zimo's gaze, feeling somewhat uneasy as he waited for her response.
"Qier, Lier, go with your uncle and aunt to the Qingshi Palace. Your mother will come find you later."
"Master of Mingyue Manor, Princess Yaoxi also invites the two young masters to accompany her."
The eunuch quickly spoke again.
Su Zimo's gaze flickered. "Brother, sister, you go ahead. Don't worry about me."
"Be careful, Momo!" Su Qingjue's expression became serious. He knew about the incident where Princess Yaoxi had whipped Momo in the streets.
"Brother, rest assured. Nothing will happen."
After speaking, Su Zimo took Su Qi and Su Li's hands and followed the eunuch.
In the main hall of the Qingyue Palace, the Empress and Princess Yaoxi heard the report from the hidden guards. Su Zimo and her children were on their way to the Qingyue Palace. Both of them had excited expressions on their faces.
Empress Ji Wuer reclined on a soft couch, her eyes filled with a cold gaze. She glanced at Ji Rui, saying, "Rui'er, take this opportunity to kill that mother and her two children. In the palace grounds, killing one or two people would leave no trace."
"Sister, rest assured! I don't need your help in this matter. I, Rui'er, don't believe that with such thorough preparation, I won't be able to kill Su Zimo and her children."
Upon hearing this, a faint gleam flashed in Empress Ji Wuer's eyes. "Rui'er, Su Zimo is different now. In multiple encounters, she has defeated her opponents. You must be clean and thorough, leaving no trace. If you fail, Su Zimo will retaliate, and even I won't be able to save you."
Ji Rui's face showed determination. "Sister, rest assured. I am currently wearing Yaoxi's face. Even if I fail, we cannot allow Su Zimo to continue like this. Su Zimo is a menace to the Ji Residence. This time, I will make sure she dies by my hand and avenge our Ji Residence."
A vicious and malicious look appeared on Ji Rui's face. Her eyes were filled with murderous intent as she fell into contemplation.
The Empress looked at her and sighed softly. Greed is the most intense fire, and hatred is the worst obsession. Rui'er's hatred is too deep, but she should be able to kill Su Zimo with confidence.
"Then sister, go back and wait for your good news."
The Empress slowly moved her body. She had already made arrangements in secret, and now it was up to Rui'er.
"Sister, rest assured, while keeping Mu Yunxuan occupied, I won't disappoint you."
Ji Rui stood up and supported Ji Wuer as they descended the steps. After two quick maidservants took over, Ji Rui let go.
Thinking that she would be able to kill Su Zimo and her children today, Ji Rui felt extreme joy in her heart. On her way to the nunnery, she contemplated what method she should use to kill Su Zimo and seek revenge. Just as she was thinking about it, her sister gave her this opportunity, allowing her to return to the capital and have another chance for revenge.
"Eunuch, are you sure this is the direction to the princess's palace?"
Su Zimo looked at the increasingly desolate palaces around her, feeling suspicious. Su Qi and Su Li also had gloomy expressions. The two brothers exchanged a smile, knowing that there would be something interesting happening today.
The eunuch straightened his back instead of cowering, and a malicious smile appeared on his face. His face, previously hidden behind a mask, was pale and repulsive.
"Beauty, this is indeed not the way to the Qingyue Palace."
As he spoke, he reached up and tore off the mask on his face, revealing a pale visage.
His face was pale, yet the texture of his skin was surprisingly smooth. He had thick, dark eyebrows, small eyes, a sunken nose, blood-red lips, and a narrow face. Su Zimo couldn't find words to describe the man before her. The word "ghost" came to her mind.
"Mother, he looks disgusting, just like the vampire you told Qier about."
Su Qi shivered. How could there be such a bizarre appearance in the world?
"Mother, he is from the Ghost Palace, specializing in drinking the blood of children to nourish his skin. He mainly cultivates the evil and chaotic Profound Qi." Su Li said with a serious expression.
A trace of admiration flashed in the man's small eyes. "Oh! I didn't expect you to have such insight at such a young age. You even know about the Ghost Palace. I am the Jade-faced Scholar of the Ghost Palace."
As the Jade-faced Scholar spoke, his blood-red lips moved, which looked rather disgusting.
"Oh! So, Princess Yaoxi sent you to kill us," Su Zimo said. Regardless of whether he was from the Ghost Palace or Yaoxi's person, anyone who provoked her, Su Zimo, would have to pay the price. The more someone took advantage of her, the more she would push back. Otherwise, others would take advantage of her without hesitation.
"To be precise, I came for the blood of these two children."
The Jade-faced Scholar looked at Su Qi and Su Li, his small eyes gleaming.
"Wow! So you really drink the blood of children! By any chance, do you want some child urine too? I really need to relieve myself."
Su Qi looked scared, but his audacious tone made people want to strangle him.
As expected, when he heard "child urine," the man's face instantly darkened.
"You're quite cute-looking, but your mouth is not very likable. However, I'm sure your blood is more delicious than anyone else's."
The Jade-faced Scholar raised his slender finger and smiled halfway, then instantly restrained his expression. His hand was already in motion.
Su Zimo and her children were already on guard against him, and they noticed his movement as fast as lightning.
The mother and her two children quickly stepped back a few steps, evading the powder the man had thrown.
"Ah!" A hint of surprise flashed in the man's eyes.
"I underestimated you."
"Now you know, but it's already too late."
Su Zimo sneered, "Li'er, Qi'er, kill him."
Su Zimo coldly gave the order. Being kind and accommodating only invited further exploitation. This was a harsh lesson.
Su Qi and Su Li didn't hesitate for a moment. The two brothers swiftly attacked the Jade-faced Scholar.
Su Zimo looked coldly at everything before her. With such commotion, it was apparent that it hadn't been discovered by the palace guards. It was clear that someone had already arranged everything in secret.
"Princess Yaoxi, can you really kill Su Zimo with just a Jade-faced Scholar?"
In the shadows, Jun Yaoxi stood next to a woman, who looked gloomily at Su Zimo's cold and arrogant figure.
At first glance, it turned out to be the same woman from the palace gate.
"Hmph! I have prepared a lot for them. If we can't kill Su Zimo today, I will never stop. I not only want to kill her, but also ruin her."
Jun Yaoxi's face turned dark, and her words were filled with deep-seated hatred. Her beautiful face lost its charm due to the cold expression.
"Do you have a candidate, Princess?"
"The candidate is my imperial brother."
"What?" The woman took a few steps back, disbelief evident in her trembling voice.
"How can it be him?" Her voice of disbelief was quivering.
"Why not? Ever since Su Zimo returned, my imperial brother has been obsessed with her. He personally proposed this plan. Su Ziyun, you'd better calm down. My imperial brother has given you a chance for redemption. If you don't know what's good for you and ruin this plan, my imperial brother will surely kill you."
Jun Yaoxi coldly stared at Su Ziyun, who was wearing a human skin mask. These were the people she intended to use in her plan. What surprised her even more was that Emperor Jun Tian had come to the palace late at night yesterday and told her about today's plan. As Ji Rui, she was naturally ecstatic to hear such news.
"Don't worry! As long as I can kill Su Zimo, I'm willing to do anything."
Su Ziyun suddenly calmed down.
"That's more like it. Rest assured, my imperial brother is only infatuated with Su Zimo. Once he obtains her, he will lose interest. At that time, I will help you change your face and identity, and you can still stay by my imperial brother's side."
"In that case, thank you in advance, Princess..."
"Poof!" Just as the two were chatting, the Jade-faced Scholar was knocked down by Su Qi and Su Li, spitting out blood.
Jun Yaoxi and Su Ziyun looked at them with astonishment on their faces.
Su Qi approached the Jade-faced Scholar, wearing a fox-like smile on his face, while the man grimaced in pain.
"How about it? Still want to drink my blood? Hmm!"
Su Qi raised his eyebrows and asked with a bright smile.
Su Li stood coldly to the side, observing.
Su Zimo remained indifferent, letting Su Qi create a commotion.
"You... You..." The Jade-faced Scholar pointed at Su Qi, but before he could complete a full sentence, his eyes widened and his head fell straight to the ground, a lifeless expression on his face.
"What kind of ghostly sect is this? Can't take a beating at all."
Su Qi looked at the dead Jade-faced Scholar with disdain.
"Never underestimate the Ghost Palace. It's the most malicious sect in the world, but it has rarely appeared in the martial arts world in recent years."